The England captain has been slaughtered this week after being pictured the worse for wear at a wedding in the team hotel while on international duty.

He issued a grovelling apology on Wednesday but Atkinson says the United striker doesn’t have a problem.

“The only thing where Rooney really got it wrong, was getting caught out,” says Atkinson whose infamous drinking culture at Old Trafford during the 80s was headed up by Bryan Robson, Norman Whiteside and Paul McGrath.

Gary Neville picks an Arsenal best XI from his Manchester United days

GARY NEVILLE has picked a team of the best Arsenal players he faced during his Manchester United career.

1 / 13

GETTY

Gary Neville picks an Arsenal best XI from his Man Utd days

“He will come back and show them”

Ron Atkinson on Wayne Rooney

“The players having a drink thing has always been around. It’s just nowadays there are more mobile phones, social media, whatever. It’s hard for any modern day player not to be seen.

“Having a drink isn’t the problem, it’s doing it at the right time. I don’t get carried away with this so-called drink culture.

“Rooney was in a public place. Somebody has invited him in – he hasn’t gatecrashed.

“I’m a big Rooney fan. He will come back and show them. He’s still got a big part to play at United. I’d play him – all day long.”

“When I was at Sheffield Wednesday David Hirst was a right character. We played Man City on New Year’s Day.

“It was a 12 noon kick-off. So I had the players in New Year’s Day and I had them down at 8am for a pre-match breakfast.

“I put a bottle of pink champagne on every table and said ‘Happy New Year, lads’

GETTY

Jose Mourinho is still set to start Wayne Rooney despite his gaff

“Hirsty put us in the lead then our keeper had to go off. Hirsty came flying up and puts the keeper’s jersey on. He kept a clean sheet and we won 1-0.

“It was two years later, he told me a lot of the lads hadn’t had any bubbly and he’d been minesweeping the table. After half an hour he was knackered and raced to go in goal!”

While Rooney’s reputation has taken a hit, Atkinson is still rebuilding his own 12 years after he resigned in disgrace after his racist remark about Chelsea star Marcel Desailly while working as an ITV pundit, was broadcast in the Middle East.

“It was idiotic and stupid,” said Atkinson. “To this day I can’t believe I did it.”

‘Ron Atkinson: The Manager’ is out now and can be found at www.decoubertin.co.uk/BigRon priced £20.